Spotlight falls on Members of Parliament’s assets

ALL eyes will be on the latest Asset Register of MPs in the National Assembly, which is due for completion before the next Session of Parliament, because of the current scrutiny of the private interests of political office bearers.

The previous Parliament (2000-2005) Asset Register of Members’ Interests was compiled in November 2003. It shows that, at the time, no fewer than 34 sitting MPs declared that they did not have any bank or other accounts with more than N$20 000.Of these, no fewer than 16 were serving either as Ministers, Deputy Ministers or similarly high-ranking officials, most of whom had served in the previous (1995-2005) Cabinet and in many cases, the first Cabinet (1990-1995) as well.They include Bernard Esau, Marco Hausiku, Philemon Malima, Nangoloh Mbumba, Alpheus !Naruseb, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Erkki Nghimtina, Jesaya Nyamu, Gabes Shihepo, Victor Simunja, Peter Tsheehama, Libertina Amathila, Helmut Angula, Nahas Angula and Buddy Wentworth and Ponhele ya France (former MPs).Ministers receive handsome salaries, as well as housing, car, furniture and entertainment allowances.Various sources have suggested that Ministers and their deputies are paid between N$30 000 and N$45 000 a month, before taxes and deductions, but this could not be independently confirmed.No fewer than 25 MPs declared ownership of commercial farms in the MPs’ Asset Register.The figures might be biased because of the predominance of Swapo MPs in Parliament, but of the 25 farm owners, no fewer than 22 were Swapo MPs – excluding Ministers and MPs – who owned or farmed land in communal areas.All in all, 20 Ministers or similarly high-ranking current or former Swapo officials owned commercial farms, 16 of whom had their farm purchases financed by the Agribank of Namibia, judging by declarations of liabilities in excess of N$20 000.Well-placed banking sources suggested that some top officials availed themselves of the so-called ‘VIP Loan Scheme’ that fast-tracked applications through an otherwise exhaustive process.Only the former Director General of the Namibian National Intelligence Service and current Safety and Security Minister Peter Tsheehama, former SADC Secretary General Dr Kaire Mbuende (no longer an MP), current Lands Minister Jerry Ekandjo, MP Hans Booys and former Deputy Basic Education Minister Clara Bohitile appeared to have financed their farm purchases out of their own pockets.Of the 20 top officials who owned commercial farms at the time, no fewer than six declared that they held no accounts containing more than N$20 000 in cash.These are Bernard Esau, Nangoloh Mbumba, Angelika Muhuruakua, Helmut Angula (who however declared shares in six different businesses), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Peter Tsheehama, who listed Dornwald Farm CC as a “family property”.A number of top officials and Swapo MPs listed interests in fishing companies: At least 12 Swapo MPs had declared interests in one or more fishing companies.None of the opposition party MPs appeared to have got a slice of this pie.Some present and former Swapo MPs also have assets outside of Namibia.For example, Former Deputy Basic Education Minister Buddy Wentworth had nothing to declare in terms of liabilities in excess of N$20 000 or accounts holding more than N$20 000 – but declared a house in Stellenbosch, South Africa, as well as shares in the Kalk Bay Waterfront development in the Cape.Many MPs – including some who declared no accounts with liabilities or assets exceeding N$20 000 – owned more than one house.Former Prime Minister and current Speaker of the National Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab declared two apartments at Swakopmund, for which a bond of N$978 000 was issued in March 1999; he appears to have paid this back in little over four years.Gurirab did not declare any liability with valued over N$20 000 – but in November 2003 held an account with more than N$20 000 with Bank Windhoek.Other notes of interest are gifts and sponsorships: The Chinese appear to have been the most generous, having donated a DVD player to Abraham Iyambo, a laptop computer to Mosé Tjitendero and a fridge to Hendrik Witbooi, as well as a “small Chinese frame” to Willem Konjore.Interestingly, Hidipo Hamutenya’s otherwise unremarkable declaration of his assets includes just one noteworthy item: a leather briefcase, worth N$1 200, from former Information and Broadcasting and Foreign Affairs PS Mocks Shivute.Current or former top officials who own or have shares in commercial farms and how they paid for them: NAME: BOND Ben Amathila – Agribank Helmut Angula – Agribank Clara Bohitile – None declared Jerry Ekandjo – None declared Bernard Esau – Agribank Hadino Hishongwa – None Abraham Iyambo – Agribank Nicky Iyambo – Agribank Marco Hausiko – Agribank Willem Konjore – Agribank Rick Kukuri – Agribank Kaire Mbuende – None declared Nangolo Mbumba – Agribank Netumbo Nandi-Ndaithwah – Agribank Immanuel Ngatjizeko – Agribank Hifikepunye Pohamba – Agribank Paul Smith – Agribank Peter Tsheehama – None declared Ngarikutuke Tjiriange – Agribank Mose Tjitendero – Agribank Former or current MPs who had less than N$20 000 in the bank, November 2003, as declared: NAME: FORMER/CURRENT MIN. PARTY Libertina Amathila Yes Swapo Helmut Angula Yes Swapo Nahas Angula Yes Swapo Chata Linus No CoD Johan de Waal No DTA Raphael Dinyando No Swapo Bernard Esau Yes Swapo Justus Garoëb Yes UDF Tsudao Gurirab No CoD Marco Hausiku Yes Swapo Elia Kaiyamo No Swapo Ella Kamanya (deceased) No Swapo Lydia Katjita Yes Swapo Katuutire Kaura No DTA Lempy Lucas No Swapo Philemon Malima Yes Swapo Nangolo Mbumba Yes Swapo Angelina Muhuruakua No Swapo Teopolina Mushelenga No Swapo Alpheus !Naruseb Yes Swapo Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Yes Swapo Gerhardine Ndjoze No Swapo Rosalia Nghidinwa No Swapo Errki Nghimtina Yes Swapo Jesaya Nyamu Yes Swapo Kosie Pretorius No MAG Gabriel Shihepo Yes Swapo Ignatius Shixwameni No CoD Victor Simunje Yes Swapo Peter Tsheehama Yes Swapo Gustaphine Tjombe No UDF Ben Ulenga No (Yes) CoD Buddy Wentworth Yes Swapo Ponhele ya France Yes SwapoIt shows that, at the time, no fewer than 34 sitting MPs declared that they did not have any bank or other accounts with more than N$20 000.Of these, no fewer than 16 were serving either as Ministers, Deputy Ministers or similarly high-ranking officials, most of whom had served in the previous (1995-2005) Cabinet and in many cases, the first Cabinet (1990-1995) as well.They include Bernard Esau, Marco Hausiku, Philemon Malima, Nangoloh Mbumba, Alpheus !Naruseb, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Erkki Nghimtina, Jesaya Nyamu, Gabes Shihepo, Victor Simunja, Peter Tsheehama, Libertina Amathila, Helmut Angula, Nahas Angula and Buddy Wentworth and Ponhele ya France (former MPs).Ministers receive handsome salaries, as well as housing, car, furniture and entertainment allowances.Various sources have suggested that Ministers and their deputies are paid between N$30 000 and N$45 000 a month, before taxes and deductions, but this could not be independently confirmed.No fewer than 25 MPs declared ownership of commercial farms in the MPs’ Asset Register.The figures might be biased because of the predominance of Swapo MPs in Parliament, but of the 25 farm owners, no fewer than 22 were Swapo MPs – excluding Ministers and MPs – who owned or farmed land in communal areas.All in all, 20 Ministers or similarly high-ranking current or former Swapo officials owned commercial farms, 16 of whom had their farm purchases financed by the Agribank of Namibia, judging by declarations of liabilities in excess of N$20 000.Well-placed banking sources suggested that some top officials availed themselves of the so-called ‘VIP Loan Scheme’ that fast-tracked applications through an otherwise exhaustive process.Only the former Director General of the Namibian National Intelligence Service and current Safety and Security Minister Peter Tsheehama, former SADC Secretary General Dr Kaire Mbuende (no longer an MP), current Lands Minister Jerry Ekandjo, MP Hans Booys and former Deputy Basic Education Minister Clara Bohitile appeared to have financed their farm purchases out of their own
pockets.Of the 20 top officials who owned commercial farms at the time, no fewer than six declared that they held no accounts containing more than N$20 000 in cash.These are Bernard Esau, Nangoloh Mbumba, Angelika Muhuruakua, Helmut Angula (who however declared shares in six different businesses), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Peter Tsheehama, who listed Dornwald Farm CC as a “family property”.A number of top officials and Swapo MPs listed interests in fishing companies: At least 12 Swapo MPs had declared interests in one or more fishing companies.None of the opposition party MPs appeared to have got a slice of this pie.Some present and former Swapo MPs also have assets outside of Namibia.For example, Former Deputy Basic Education Minister Buddy Wentworth had nothing to declare in terms of liabilities in excess of N$20 000 or accounts holding more than N$20 000 – but declared a house in Stellenbosch, South Africa, as well as shares in the Kalk Bay Waterfront development in the Cape.Many MPs – including some who declared no accounts with liabilities or assets exceeding N$20 000 – owned more than one house.Former Prime Minister and current Speaker of the National Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab declared two apartments at Swakopmund, for which a bond of N$978 000 was issued in March 1999; he appears to have paid this back in little over four years.Gurirab did not declare any liability with valued over N$20 000 – but in November 2003 held an account with more than N$20 000 with Bank Windhoek.Other notes of interest are gifts and sponsorships: The Chinese appear to have been the most generous, having donated a DVD player to Abraham Iyambo, a laptop computer to Mosé Tjitendero and a fridge to Hendrik Witbooi, as well as a “small Chinese frame” to Willem Konjore.Interestingly, Hidipo Hamutenya’s otherwise unremarkable declaration of his assets includes just one noteworthy item: a leather briefcase, worth N$1 200, from former Information and Broadcasting and Foreign Affairs PS Mocks Shivute.Current or former top officials who own or have shares in commercial farms and how they paid for them: NAME: BOND Ben Amathila – Agribank Helmut Angula – Agribank Clara Bohitile – None declared Jerry Ekandjo – None declared Bernard Esau – Agribank Hadino Hishongwa – None Abraham Iyambo – Agribank Nicky Iyambo – Agribank Marco Hausiko – Agribank Willem Konjore – Agribank Rick Kukuri – Agribank Kaire Mbuende – None declared Nangolo Mbumba – Agribank Netumbo Nandi-Ndaithwah – Agribank Immanuel Ngatjizeko – Agribank Hifikepunye Pohamba – Agribank Paul Smith – Agribank Peter Tsheehama – None declared Ngarikutuke Tjiriange – Agribank Mose Tjitendero – Agribank Former or current MPs who had less than N$20 000 in the bank, November 2003, as declared: NAME: FORMER/CURRENT MIN. PARTY Libertina Amathila Yes Swapo Helmut Angula Yes Swapo Nahas Angula Yes Swapo Chata Linus No CoD Johan de Waal No DTA Raphael Dinyando No Swapo Bernard Esau Yes Swapo Justus Garoëb Yes UDF Tsudao Gurirab No CoD Marco Hausiku Yes Swapo Elia Kaiyamo No Swapo Ella Kamanya (deceased) No Swapo Lydia Katjita Yes Swapo Katuutire Kaura No DTA Lempy Lucas No Swapo Philemon Malima Yes Swapo Nangolo Mbumba Yes Swapo Angelina Muhuruakua No Swapo Teopolina Mushelenga No Swapo Alpheus !Naruseb Yes Swapo Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Yes Swapo Gerhardine Ndjoze No Swapo Rosalia Nghidinwa No Swapo Errki Nghimtina Yes Swapo Jesaya Nyamu Yes Swapo Kosie Pretorius No MAG Gabriel Shihepo Yes Swapo Ignatius Shixwameni No CoD Victor Simunje Yes Swapo Peter Tsheehama Yes Swapo Gustaphine Tjombe No UDF Ben Ulenga No (Yes) CoD Buddy Wentworth Yes Swapo Ponhele ya France Yes Swapo